


Strange Perfections

by deaniewithalittleweanie



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alpha Castiel/Omega Dean Winchester, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angel Dean Winchester, Canon-Typical Violence, DeanCas FlipFest 2019, Demon Castiel (Supernatural), Enemies to Lovers, Extremely minor character death, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Rimming, Wing Kink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-24
Updated: 2019-09-24
Packaged: 2020-10-06 02:20:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20499269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deaniewithalittleweanie/pseuds/deaniewithalittleweanie
Summary: Dean defined his existence as an angel as a series of problems that needed solving. When he finds himself in what's essentially a custody battle for a Nephilim against a demon named Castiel, he comes face to face with the omega side of himself, something he'd never given much thought until now.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Art for Strange Perfections](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20759804) by [NadiaHart](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NadiaHart/pseuds/NadiaHart). 

Dean’s existence as an angel could be defined as a series of problems that all needed to be solved. Heaven was always nitpicking at the humans and at the throat of the demons. Monsters were the aphids in the garden of humanity, eating up the good ones and ruining the harvest. Dean was one of the angels in charge of occasionally going down to earth and hunting down monsters and demons. He worked alongside his brother, Sam, dropping down to Earth every few weeks to kill what needed to be killed. 

Dean went alone on hunts sometimes, which Heaven wasn’t a huge fan of at first. After all, omega angels weren’t supposed to be fighters, but Dean was just like his mother. Mary was one of the first omega angels in the garrison, and she was ruthless. It took a Knight of Hell, Azazel, to take her down when little Sam was a six-month-old fledgling. John went darkside after that. He went on a revenge-driven killing spree on Earth until Heaven had to take him down. Dean and Sam were still so young, so a beta angel, Ellen, took them in. She treated them as her own children alongside her daughter, Jo. 

Alarm bells rang in Heaven regularly, but Dean had never heard anything like the alarms bells that rang when the Nephilim was conceived. Lucifer had been free for a few years now. Sam and Dean were repeatedly sent to kill him, but every mission ended in failure and near-death for the brothers. Now, it seemed more important than ever that he was dead, and now there was yet another thing: the Nephilim. Dean hadn’t been alive long enough to see one, but with the surge of power, everyone felt when Lucifer knocked up some poor human, everyone knew this kid was bound to be powerful. Lucifer was evil enough; now, he was going to have someone just as powerful on his side. 

Once again, Sam and Dean were assigned to kill him. It was Sam that was assigned to the task since he was the alpha, but he always brought Dean along. They were the best hunting team Heaven had, and it was a suicide mission to go alone.

“You think we’re really gonna do it this time?” Dean asked, pulling his leather jacket over his shoulders. 

Sam shrugged, tucking the archangel blade Naomi provided them with into his jacket. “We say we will every time, but this time, I think we have to. If we don’t, he’ll kill us all with the help of the Nephilim.”

Dean sighed. “Yeah, you’ve got a point. Alright, let’s get down there and get this over with.”

Sam stretched his wings, ready to tuck them away for the foreseeable future. That was the biggest nuisance of going down to earth. Sam had deep brown wings with lighter sandy brown primaries. His wings were large, and there were four, indicating his alpha status.

Dean’s wings were a more rare color that often got him ogled by other angels. His two wings were a pale gold. The tips of the primaries were nearly white, and every feather had a distinct sheen that caught every ray of sun. Sometimes Dean wished he could have his wings out on Earth. Maybe it would make hooking up with human women in bars easier. If he thought about it for more than a few seconds, he would realize that his wings would scare off any human interested in him. 

Sam and Dean stepped through the gate that transported them down to Earth. They emerged in Lebanon, Kansas, where they set up shop in an old Men of Letters bunker. Dean liked to keep Baby parked in the garage here. He still remembered John telling him about when he found the car for sale years ago. The car was mostly symbolic at this point and only for driving around town without drawing too much attention. That didn’t stop Dean from going on joyrides from time to time. There was just something so relaxing about sitting behind the wheel instead of blinking and arriving at his final destination.

The bunker was the best meeting place for Sam and Dean’s contacts on Earth. Today, they needed the help of a powerful witch, Rowena. She didn’t like to pick sides, but the brothers frequently helped her out and saved her ass, so she owed them. Today, she could help them track down Lucifer. After a phone call, she was there in the flesh, her blue dress grazing the floor as she walked. 

“Let me guess, you need me to track down a certain archangel... again. ” Her Scottish accent rolled off her tongue with a pleasant dialect.

“Yup. You gonna do it?” Dean crossed his arms in anticipation. 

“Fine, fine. I suppose I owe it to you after Wichita.” She sent Sam off to gather supplies for her spell as she rolled up her draping dress sleeves. The spell was pretty complicated, but she had done it a few times now. They had a small supply of Lucifer’s grace that was required for the spell. Upon her incantation, her eyes lit up purple. She stared blankly ahead before her eyes flickered back to green. 

“Denver, Colorado, outside a bar called William’s & Graham.”

Dean nodded and looked at Sam. “Ready?”

Sam nodded, passing the archangel blade off to Dean. “Let’s finish this.”

With a rustle of wings, they disappeared from the bunker and appeared in the alley beside the bar. When Dean rounded the corner onto the sidewalk, he saw a flash of red eyes from a sandy-haired man about fifty feet away. Bingo. He pushed his way through the crowd while Sam tried to come around behind him. 

Sam got there first, and to avoid making a scene in front of the humans; he tried to fly Lucifer to an abandoned warehouse. Usually, this would piss him off enough to distract him so that Dean could kill him. Instead, it worked, and Dean followed them there. It was at that moment that they realized that the archangel that usually kicked their asses was somehow weakened. Didn’t matter how; they had their chance.

Sam threw the first punch and immediately got thrown back. With a growl, he lunged again at Lucifer, providing a significant distraction while Dean snuck up from behind. In one swift move, Dean plunged the blade into Lucifer’s back, eyes wide open as he watched the light flicker from his eyes. The body in Sam’s arms drooped and then slumped to the ground, as dead as dead could be. The silhouette of his wings was painted in ash across the ground beneath him.

It was over.

Lucifer was dead.


	2. Face to Face

Instead of alarm bells in Heaven, there was a celebration. Lucifer was an enemy for millennia, and now thanks to the brothers, he was gone. Now the only concern was the Nephilim and the woman who was to bear it. All they knew about her was that her name was Kelly. Nothing else. Something powerful was hiding her and protecting her. Dean’s best guess was a higher-up demon. 

There wasn’t a lot of time for Sam and Dean to stay and celebrate. The next task was to track Kelly down and find a way to destroy the Nephilim before it was born. The biggest issue was figuring out how long it would take before it was born. Surely it wouldn’t be long now.

Dean sat underneath a large tree in Heaven, grooming his wings and glancing around. Angels milled about, chatting, and adjusting their fancy suits and ties. Dean never understood the formal wear in heaven. He’d stick to his leather jacket and jeans, thank you very much. His wings looked like shit right now from all the flying. Dead feathers fell to the grass around Dean as he combed them out. 

When a presence arrived next to him, he looked over his shoulder to see Sam.

“So get this, the thing keeping Kelly under the radar is a Knight of Hell. He’s following her everywhere and killing anything that gets too close.” Sam explained.

“Huh. What does a Knight of Hell want with a Nephilim?”

“Probably a new king. Crowley isn’t exactly perfect, as we’re well aware. I think the only reason he’s still there is because we haven’t killed him yet.”

Dean chuckled at that last comment. “Yeah, you’re right.” He stretched. “So we’ve got to take down this demon first?”

“Yeah. Once he’s gone, we can find a way to get rid of the Nephilim. I think there may be a way to drain its grace, so then it’s just a normal baby, and Kelly can keep it.”

“You seriously want to risk that? This thing could kill us all.”

“But, that’s an innocent woman carrying it. We should keep her in mind.” 

Dean sighed. “Fine. We’ll try the grace thing.” He finished with his wings. “What do we have on the demon?”

“Appearance and last sighting. Slightly shorter than you, dark hair, blue eyes, wears a trench coat. Last seen in Chicago. That’s all I know.” Sam stood up. “I’m heading down to start the search. You coming?”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m coming.” Dean stood up and shook his wings out before following Sam to the portal. Stepping out onto Earth, they began their search for the demon. They searched the Chicago area and the small towns around it, asking locals if they had seen someone who matched the description Sam had. One local shop owner had security camera footage of the demon buying food and leaving in an old Lincoln Continental, which made Dean cringe. 

Now, they had a car to look for. Finding a car could be easier to find than a person. Using their powers, they were able to search quickly until Sam found the vehicle parked in a little cabin by the lake. When they flew there, the demon was already standing outside, angel blade in hand. He stood in a defensive posture, twirling the blade as his nose wrinkled at the sight of the angels. He tilted his chin up in question. 

“What do you want?”

Dean gaped a little. Okay, Sam’s description was way too lackluster for this demon. He was hot, or at least, his meat suit was. His blue eyes were piercing into Dean’s grace, and his voice...oh god his voice was, for lack of a better word, sinful. 

Sam had to answer. “Obviously we’re here for the Nephilim, but we don’t want to hurt Kelly. We know a way to drain its grace-”

“You will do no such thing. You have no idea how powerful that Nephilim will be.”

Dean jumped in now that he was past the initial shock of seeing this demon for the first time. “What do you want with it anyway?”

“I’ve seen the future that he will create. It will be paradise, and that’s a world I want to live in. I’ve devoted myself to raising him as my own, and I won’t let the likes of you two hurt him.”

Dean scrunched his brows. “You, a demon, want to live in paradise?”

“What does my species have to do with wanting a better life? Do you think I enjoy spending all of my time in Hell? Hell is, for lack of a better term, Hell.” The demon took a step forward. “Leave and get Heaven off our asses or I’ll kill both of you and any of your other friends you show their faces here-“ The demon was cut off when a burst of yellow light came from one of the upstairs windows in the cabin. He looked back at it before growling at the angels and lunging for them, angel blade high in the air. 

Sam countered first, his own blade in hand. The two clashed with everything they had, and Sam found himself pretty evenly matched until he was kicked backward. 

Dean tackled the demon away before he had the chance to plunge his blade into Sam’s chest. They rolled on the ground until the demon had Dean pinned. It was at that moment that Dean caught the demon’s alpha scent. Usually, this sent him blazing and fighting, but something about this scent was so calming, pleasing. He stared up at the demon, wide-eyed and frozen. What really shocked him is that the demon was frozen, too. 

The moment was ruined when Sam kicked the demon off of Dean, and they went back at it. Dean scrambled to his feet in time to see Sam’s chest get slashed. The cut glowed briefly, and Sam stumbled to the ground. 

Dean moved in behind the demon and got him pinned against a tree. He would have smitten the guy right there for hurting his brother if he could do that to something as powerful as a Knight of Hell. Today, he settled for devil’s trap cuffs to the wrists, ignoring the cries of anger from the demon. 

“I swear to whatever god you serve that I will kill both of you!” The demon didn’t give up just yet, yanking against his bonds and pulling on the chain that Dean held in his hand. 

“Nice try, but no.” Dean turned to walk toward the cabin, but blinding yellow light began spilling out of the windows, making everyone except the demon cover their eyes. The light died down after a few long seconds. Dean and Sam exchanged a look before running inside, pulling the demon along with them. Coming out of the upstairs bedroom were footprints that got progressively bigger until they reached the corner of the room. Huddled in the corner was a young adult with brown hair, fully naked and curled into the corner. 

The demon pulled forward, but Dean yanked him back, breathing heavily in fear at the sight of the Nephilim. The boy turned, eyes going straight to the demon. 

“Castiel.”

“I’m here, Jack. I won’t let them hurt you, I promise.” The demon pulled forward again, desperate to get to the Nephilim. 

Dean handed the chain off to Sam and took his jacket off, walking forward to wrap it around the boy’s shoulders. As soon as he got close, the Nephilim stood up and screamed. The force of it threw everyone back against the wall. Dean heard the fluttering of wings, and then the boy was gone. 

The Nephilim was loose on earth, and all Dean had to show for himself was a Knight of Hell on a leash. 

This was not going to go well.


	3. Dungeon

Returning to the bunker with Castiel in hand was a struggle, to say the least. Castiel fought them the whole way, desperate to escape and find the Nephilim, who he insisted was named Jack. Dean locked Castiel in the dungeon of the bunker, drawing a devil’s trap in chalk and adding extra sigils to protect against something as powerful as Castiel. 

Dean rolled his shoulders when he was done, standing outside the dungeon. Sam was approaching, book in hand. 

“So get this, Jack will be just as powerful, if not more powerful, than Lucifer. An angel blade won’t put a dent in him. We’ll need the archangel blade, and maybe some spellwork. I’m not sure. There’s not a lot of record of a Nephilim being born and then killed.”

Dean sighed. “Don’t call it Jack. You’ll get attached to it. Just figure out how we kill it so we can get it over with.”

“What’s bothering you?”

Dean shifted and huffed, arms crossed. “Nothing. I’m just annoyed that we let it go. Bobby is gonna be pissed.”

Sam nodded. “Yeah. Alright. Keep an eye on Castiel.”

“Got it.” Dean sat outside the dungeon and listened to the occasional yanking of chains or slamming of the chair Castiel was tied to. The sound was annoying, so Dean tuned it out. He took his jacket and shirt off, bringing his wings into the physical plane of existence to get some grooming done. He always groomed when he was bored. It passed the time, and the act was relaxing. 

“Jack, Jack, please hear me. Come find me. I know you can.” 

Dean looked back over his shoulder and stood up. “Hey, are you praying to it?”

Castiel growled, eyes briefly flicking to Dean’s exposed wings. “None of your business. You’re going to die anyway as soon as I’m out of here.”

“You’re a real charmer; you know that?”

“Is that a flirtation?”

Dean rolled his eyes. “Someone’s full of himself. Stop praying, or I’ll cover your mouth too.”

“Surely, as an angel, you know that I can pray without speaking.” The demon raised a brow.

Dean huffed. “It’s annoying, and this place is warded. It wouldn’t get in.”

“His name is Jack.”

“It will never find you here.”

“Tell me, why do you hate him? Is it simply because of his father? His mother was a beautiful, bright soul. She gave her life for Jack. You, Deanael, must know what it’s like to be judged based off of your parents. Samuel is aggressive and violent, just like your father. You? You don’t seem to be living up to your mother’s name.”

Dean stormed forward and grabbed the demon’s throat. “Don’t you dare speak about my mother.”

“Don’t get me wrong, angel, I respected your mother. I used to respect your kind as a whole, but now I know that you’re nothing but dicks with wings who sit up in their kingdom and stare down at anything unlike them as if it were garbage. You don’t respect anyone, not even the humans you vow to protect.”

Dean scoffed and shoved Castiel away, making the chair wobble. “As if you’re any better.”

“My job is to protect a child. He’s a few hours old and all alone.”

“A child? That’s what you’re calling that thing? It’s the spawn of the devil.”

Castiel snarled. “He doesn’t know that. You have no idea what you’re talking about. All you angels do is kill and take.”

Dean shook his head. “It’s going to be your fault when he destroys everything.” With that, he left the room to get some air. He tucked his wings away and walked into the war room to find Sam. “We should just kill him. He’s driving me crazy.”

Sam sighed. “He’s the only one who could potentially track the Nephilim down.”

“He was trying to pray to it.”

“Do you think it worked?”

“I have no idea.” Dean sat down and ran his hands over his face. As if the universe couldn’t cut him a break, he heard the metal door of the bunker creaking. He slowly stood up, angel blade dropping out of the sleeve of his jacket into his hand. The door flew off the hinges and hit the ground next to Dean. 

Standing in the doorway was a young man, devoid of clothing. He looked scared, his shoulders slumped, and his expression worried. 

Dean’s wings burst from his back, and in one big flap, he was up on the landing with his angel blade raised. In his blind fury, he didn’t even see the boy cowering in fear from him. It wasn’t until Sam flew behind him and pulled him back just before the angel blade touched the boy.

“What the hell, Sam?!”

“Look at him, he’s scared!” Sam pulled Dean back further.

Dean finally took a moment to look at the Nephilim, and instead of a fierce beast that wanted to kill them, he saw a scared boy cowering in fear. That was enough to make him pause.

The Nephilim looked up from behind his arms at Dean and Sam. Something made his head turn quickly towards the dungeon, and that’s when he started running. “Castiel!”

Dean took off with another hard flap of his wings and followed the Nephilim back to the dungeon, failing to catch him before he made it to Castiel. 

The demon’s head shot up, and he yanked at his restraints. “Jack!”

“I made it, I found you.” The Nephilim grabbed the cuffs holding Castiel to the chair and shattered them with little to no effort. The demon jumped up and hugged Jack tightly. 

Dean’s eyes were blown wide, and he ran in behind the Nephilim, driving his angel blade between his shoulder blades. 

Castiel gasped. “No!” He held onto Jack, who looked hurt and upset. “It’s okay, I’ve got you…” It took him a moment to realize that the angel blade did not affect Jack’s wellbeing. Castiel pulled Jack behind his back and pulled the angel blade free, diving at Dean with a shout.

Weaponless, Dean swung his right wing and knocked Castiel to the ground, sending the angel blade skidding across the floor. Before he could grab it, a deafening shout came from Jack that blasted everyone in the room against the walls, even Sam, who wasn’t in the line of fire. Dean covered his ears and was forced to wait until the scream finally stopped before he got ahold of his angel blade again. Castiel had gotten to his feet and was standing protectively in front of Jack.

“The next time you come near him, you die. Get us out of here, Jack.” He took the Nephilim’s hand and waited.

Jack stared at Castiel for a moment before he started walking out of the room, attempting to move by Dean. Everyone stared, wondering why the kid wasn’t flying. 

“Jack, I meant fly us out.”

“Fly?”

Sam approached slowly. “He doesn’t know how to use his powers?”

Dean stayed back, angel blade ready. “Then they’re trapped here.”

Castiel looked panicked for the first time and looked at Jack pleadingly. “Jack, they’ll kill both of us. They’re mindless garrison angels. You remember what I said about them. Focus. I know you can get us out, please.”

Jack looked distressed, his brows furrowed and expression sorrowful. He had no idea what to do. 

Dean stepped back to the dungeon door and closed the bars, locking them in. “Sam, let’s ward the hell out of this room and keep them there. I’ll contact heaven.”

Castiel ran to the bars before Dean could close the metal door. “No, please. Let him go. He’s innocent, can’t you see that? He can’t even use his powers. Take me to heaven. You can do whatever you want, just let Jack go.”

“Shit, Lucifer really brainwashed you, didn’t he? Rot in hell, demon.” Dean slammed the metal door closed and bolted it shut. He huffed and shook out his wings before tucking them away. He avoided Sam’s disappointed stare and got to work on the warding. He went with every sigil he knew that restrained and depowered demons and angels. The doors were covered in sigils now, and the pounding on the door from Castiel stopped.

Sam just watched, unsure of what he was seeing. “Are we sure that this is the best idea?”

“Yeah, we’re sure. Let’s give Bobby a call and see if he can help us figure out how to kill this thing.”

“What if...what if we don’t need to kill him?”

Dean scrunched up his face. “Are you seriously siding with the demon?”

“Technically he’s a knight of hell, but no, I’m not siding with him. I’m just saying that maybe he’s got a point about Jack. He looked terrified of you, and he couldn’t even use his powers.”

“He broke down the door!”

“He just pushed at it until it broke. He didn’t snap his fingers and send it flying like we would to break down a door. He couldn’t fight back.” 

“Then it’s the perfect time to try and kill him before he can fight back!” Dean huffed. “Why are you acting like he’s anything other than a monster?”

Sam rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, his shoulders tight with frustration. “Because I don’t think he is. There’s a lot we don’t know about him yet, and I think we should figure that out before we go gung-ho and kill him.”

Dean shook his head. “You’re going to get everyone killed with that kind of thinking. I’m calling Bobby and figuring out how we put him down. You go do whatever bullshit peacemaking makes you happy.” He stormed out of the room and called Bobby, eager to start figuring out his next steps.

Sam frowned and looked at the dungeon doors. Dean had to be wrong. If only he could talk to Jack one-on-one...The lightbulb went off, and Sam drew a sigil beside the doors of the dungeon, ready for what he was about to do. He opened the door and looked through the bars. Castiel was sitting on the floor and hugging Jack. When his attention moved to the door, he got up and ran to the bars.

Sam took the keys and started unlocking the door, eyeing Castiel carefully. As soon as the door was open, there was a standoff. Who was going to make the first move? 

That person ended up being Castiel, who lunged at Sam with a battle cry. Sam shouted an incantation and slapped his hand over the sigil he drew. Castiel gasped and disappeared in a cloud of black smoke, damned back to hell. 

So there Sam was, alone with the Nephilim, Jack. He closed the bars behind him and took a deep breath, ready to get some answers.


	4. True

Sam held up his hands to show that he was weaponless, slowly approaching the Nephilim. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

Jack swallowed. “I want my father back.”

Sam tilted his head. “Your father? He’s dead.”

Jack’s face fell, and he shook his head. “You killed him?!”

“We had to. He wanted to use you for his own good.”

Jack stood taller. “No, he didn’t. He loved me.”

“I’m sorry, Jack. I really am.”

Jack buried his face in his hands. “You’re a monster. My father was right about you.”

Sam swallowed, trying to find the right words. “Lucifer never really liked angels after everything happened.”

Jack’s face came out of his hands, and he tilted his head. “Lucifer?”

“Yeah, your father.”

Jack shook his head. “My father is Castiel. My mother was Kelly Kline.”

Sam’s eyes widened. “You think...okay, I’m sorry, there’s some misunderstanding here. Your biological father, Lucifer, is dead. Castiel is fine. I just sent him to Hell so I could talk to you. My brother thinks you’re evil, but I don’t think so.”

Jack shifted. “Castiel wants me to be good. He wants me to help bring peace.”

“He does? What does a demon want with peace?”

“I don’t know. It’s what my mom wanted too. She said I was good. That I would be good.”

Sam felt a sense of pride and relief to know that he was right. “I think you’re good too. Heaven could really use someone like you. You could do what my brother and I do. We come to earth and get rid of monsters to protect the humans.”

“Castiel says heaven is full of corruption and feathery assholes.”

“Well, he’s a demon. That’s what they all think. Just let us take you to heaven, and you can decide for yourself. If you want to go back to Castiel after you see it, I’ll take you straight to him. If not, we’ll find you a job, and you can live among the Angels.”

Jack’s brows furrowed in thoughtful consideration. “You promise you’ll take me back to Castiel if I don’t like it?”

“I promise. Deal?” Sam held out a hand.

Jack eyed Sam’s hand before taking it, unsure of what this meant. “Okay.”

Sam shook Jack’s hand with a gentle smile. “Great. Stay behind me while we talk to my brother. He’ll need some convincing. I won’t let him hurt you.”

Jack nodded and followed Sam, staying close to his back. He looked at the sigil drawn to send Castiel to Hell as they left.

Dean finished his phone call with Bobby and looked around. He heard Sam coming back...and an extra set of footsteps. He gripped his angel blade and watched as Sam appeared, a protective arm guarding Jack. “Sam! What the hell?”

“He’s not dangerous. Not at all. He wants to come to heaven with us.”

Dean tilted his head back with a sigh. “Sam, this is such a bad idea.”

“Do we ever have good ideas?”

Dean huffed and looked at Jack. “No murderous thoughts?”

Jack shook his head. 

“You don’t want to dominate the world?”

Jack shook his head again. 

Dean grumbled. “If we die, it’s your fault, Sam. Where’s the demon?”

“Hell. Sent him back so I could talk to Jack.”

“Ah. Right, then. Let’s get this over with.” He put away his blade. “We have to fly him there?”

“Yeah, he doesn’t seem to know how to do anything yet.” Sam took Jack’s hand, and on Dean’s cue, he took off to Heaven, taking Jack with him. 

They landed in the middle of a massive green field. Fruit trees surrounded the perimeter of the area, and a few angels were picking the fruit and placing it into woven baskets. Jack looked around in awe, his eyes falling upon Sam and Dean’s wings, which were now out. “Whoa…”

Sam smiled softly. “You can let your wings out too if you want.”

Jack thought for a moment. It took a minute of effort, but soon, a double pair of white wings unfurled from his back. Dean took note of Jack’s alpha status and shook out his own wings. 

Sam saw angels staring at them and wrapped an arm around Jack. “We need to get him to Naomi and make sure everyone knows he’s not a threat.”

Dean looked around. “You go. I’ll keep you from being followed.”

Sam nodded. “Thanks.” 

Dean tolerated Heaven at the best of times. He usually spent his time wishing he was back on Earth, hunting down monsters instead of frolicking around. It was only when you got close to the upper ranking angels that you even started discussing the war against hell. As an angel, you could go thousands of years without giving it much thought. Most of the angels here were just guardians anyways. 

Dean kicked a pine cone and huffed softly. Part of him wished he was with Sam, but keeping an eye out on the other angels to make sure they didn’t question Sam or Jack was more important than doing something entertaining. He stayed a reasonable distance away from them and followed slowly, watching the other angels. He saw someone in the trees staring and walked over to strike up a conversation before the guy blared alarms over angel radio. 

“Hey, Virgil. What’s up?”

The other angel’s focus left Jack and turned to Dean. “Who’s with Sam?”

“Not sure. Kid’s a fledgling and was lost on Earth. Sam’s taking him to Naomi.”

Virgil seemed to accept that answer. “How is the hunt for the Nephilim going?”

Dean rubbed the back of his neck. “Uh, slow. Definitely slowed down even more by this fledgling situation.” He gave a slightly awkward chuckle.

Virgil smiled sweetly, almost like he pitied Dean. “No need to be embarrassed, Deanael. You’re already a hero for killing Lucifer. Both you and your brother. You’ll find the Nephilim, and we’ll find a way to destroy it.”

Dean nodded, his shoulders relaxing slightly when Virgil deducted a different reason for why he would be nervous. “Thanks, Virgil. We’ll do our best.”

Virgil patted Dean’s shoulder. “Good luck.”

Dean tried to give a genuine smile, but he was starting to worry that someone else was watching Sam and Jack before they could make it to Naomi. “Thanks. See ya.” Dean turned and jogged to catch up with them, but a voice stopped him in his tracks. Someone was praying to him. It was faint, but there. He heard a deep voice pleading for help and repeated his name over and over in prayer. He saw Sam make it to the throne, where Naomi was, and spread his wings, flying back down to Earth. The prayer could easily be one of his hunting buddies or one of his human friends. 

Instead of finding someone begging for help, he came face to face with black eyes and dark hair. Before he could fly away, a match was thrown, and the walls were engulfed in holy fire, trapping Dean in the room. “You son of a bitch!”

Castiel stared Dean down, his eyes flicking back to icy blue that was filled with rage. “Where’s Jack?”

“Nowhere you can find him.” Dean spat, taking a few steps towards the demon and pulling out his angel blade. 

Castiel pulled out an angel blade of his own. “Sam took him to Heaven, didn’t he? So you could have him killed?”

“If only.”

“What do you mean by that?” 

Dean rolled his eyes. “Sammy went all pacifist on me. He thinks Jack is all innocent and shit, so he’s trying to work out a way for Heaven to teach him all the right ways. At least then he’ll still be out of your hands.”

Castiel huffed. “You morons are going to turn him into a monster.”

“Really? And you won’t?”

“How could I? I love him as my own son. I want what’s best for him. All you want is either a weapon or for him to be dead.”

Dean let his head fall back with a heavy sigh. “Jesus, dude, where the hell did you get this hatred of Heaven? Did Hell just brainwash it into you?”

“I hated Heaven even as a human.”

Dean paused, furrowing his brows in confusion and taking a step back. “You were human?”

Castiel looked at the floor for a brief moment before nodding. “I was. I prayed every day. I was a devout man. But when I needed you, you weren’t there. You weren’t anywhere. I knew you existed. I saw my guardian angel as a child. But when my daughter died, Heaven ignored me. Do you know who saved her? A demon. He let me exchange my life for hers. She gets to live the rest of her life on earth, because of Hell. Where was Heaven when I needed that?”

Dean had to process for a few minutes. “You sold your soul, and you’re grateful?!”

“I’m not grateful for the torture, granted, but it didn’t last long. The King, Lucifer, saw something in me. I still don’t know what. He appointed me as a Knight of Hell. I ruled Hell for some time while he was on Earth. I saw how Heaven mistreated him and cast him aside, though I could see the monster he had become. He wasn’t meant to be a father. When he impregnated Kelly, he appointed me to protect her. I made it my sole duty to protect his child, and I knew no matter what happened, I was going to raise him as my own. If Lucifer raised him, maybe he would have become the monster Heaven fears.”

Dean listened and felt some of his anger fizzle out. “What do you want him to be?”

“A guardian, like I didn’t have. He should watch over humanity properly and care for them. He should know the value of souls, of life and death. He could do so much good for the world. I don’t get why Heaven doesn’t see that.” Castiel shifted slightly towards the end of his sentence, discomfort growing within him. 

Dean gave a small nod. He had something to say, but he stopped when he caught a scent. It was sharp like cologne, but with a much more natural fragrance. It was like grass and rock after a thunderstorm, buzzing with electricity and covered in a thin layer of dew. Dean felt his cheeks growing hot, and it wasn’t from the fire around him. He caught Castiel’s eyes again and what was going on clicked into place. “You’re going into rut…” The realization struck fear into his heart, making him back away and hold his angel blade out in defense.

Castiel shrunk back as well. “I’m not going to hurt you. I promise. I don’t even know why this is happening. I won’t touch you.”

Dean shifted his weight defensively. He was on high alert, but that scent was so damn distracting. So distracting in fact, that he didn’t notice his own body heating up. His wings materialized behind him against his will, something that only happened when he was going into heat. When he finally realized what was happening, his first thought was, why? He wasn’t supposed to start his heat for another two weeks.

Castiel took in a deep breath through his nose, his eyes flashing red when he caught Dean’s scent. “Are you…?”

Dean backed up further. “I’m not...I’m not supposed to start for two weeks.” He swallowed. “You know what this means, right?”

Castiel shook his head. “We’re both very off our mating cycles?”

“No, you idiot, we’re truemates. Which means we...we...shit!” Dean backed up as far as he could without touching the fire. This wasn’t how this was supposed to happen. His truemate was supposed to be an angel, someone that wouldn’t hurt him, that would take care of him so he could take care of them. Now he was about to be taken against his will, his worst nightmare.

Castiel frowned. “You’re panicking. Hey, it’s okay. I promise I’m not going to hurt you. I’ll put out the holy fire, and you can get away. I can try to get Sam to come as I did to you if you want him to help you get to safety.”

Dean desperately tried to ignore the slick coating his pants now, and all he could manage was a whimper. He sunk to his knees, wrapping his wings around himself. He buried his face in the feathers and tried to focus his thoughts, but he was drowning in his heat: knots, and mating clouding every thought. Specifically, Castiel’s knot and mating with him. He felt so hot that he wasn’t even aware of Castiel extinguishing the holy fire. The next thing he was aware of was a gentle hand tilting his chin up.

“It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you, I promise.”

The scent was overwhelming now. Dean felt like he could see where it was coming from. He looked into Castiel’s eyes and down to his neck. He was losing himself in his heat, so much that his next course of action was to lunge forward and bury his face in the alpha’s neck. His wings spread and fluttered lightly, swaying gracefully behind him. A pair of tentative arms wrapped around his body and held him close, rubbing the space of his back between where his wings were phasing through the leather of his jacket.

A light purr rumbled through Castiel’s chest. When Dean looked up at him, he saw two black horns protruding from his head, just above his ears. The horns look like they had been twisted, and the high points of the ridges had a slight red tint to them. Castiel’s eyes were alpha-red and observing Dean while he held him. 

Dean leaned up to kiss Castiel, but he was gently pushed away.

“No. You’re in heat. I’m not going to do anything with you. Just hang onto me, okay?” Castiel stood up and picked Dean up in his arms. “Can you...put those away? We’re not going to fit through the door.”

Dean glanced back at his wings and tucked them tightly against his back as he was carried out of the building. When he looked around, they were at the cabin where Jack was born. He spotted Sam with Jack.

Castiel looked at Jack, and his eyes widened a bit. He looked at Sam and glared. “Your brother is in heat. I haven’t done anything with him. I’ll trade you. You give me Jack, and I’ll give you your brother.”

Sam’s brows scrunched in confusion. He knew Dean wasn’t supposed to be in heat yet. He was going to interject when Dean spoke. 

“Give Jack to him, Sammy. It’s okay.”

Sam looked to Jack and squeezed his shoulder before urging him to go forwards. Jack ran to Castiel as the alpha demon set Dean down and helped him over to Sam. 

As soon as Sam had ahold of Dean, he flew them back to Heaven to get Dean to the safety of their nest. The last thing Dean remembered before being flown away was Castiel hurriedly leading Jack into the cabin.


	5. Bonded

Dean couldn’t remember a more miserable heat in his entire life. He spent it tossing and turning in bed, desperately crying out for Castiel against his own will. He wasn’t even coherent enough to feel bad for Sam, who brought him food and water multiple times a day.

When it finally ended after five torturous days, Dean was so drained, he needed an additional day to rest and catch up on sleep.

After the one day of sleep, Sam walked in and sat on his bed. “I’ve waited through your heat. Now you have to tell me what the hell happened.”

Dean sat up with a groan and rubbed his eyes. He yawned and nodded. “Alright, alright. While you were taking Jack to Naomi, I started getting a prayer. I couldn’t hear it very well, but it sounded desperate. I went to see what it was, and it was Cas. He-”

“Cas? You have a nickname for him now?”

“I’ve been calling him that for a week now. Shut up.”

“I know, I just didn’t want to ask while you were in heat, dumbass.”

Dean rolled his eyes. “Anyways, when I got there, he lit holy oil around the room and trapped me in there. He wanted to know where Jack was. He talked for a while and turned out he used to be human. He sold his soul to trade his life for his daughter’s. He was grateful to Hell for letting him save his daughter and vengeful against Heaven since we can’t exactly trade lives. He went to Hell, and Lucifer saw him and appointed him as a Knight. He ruled off and on, but kinda hated Lucifer. He was assigned to protect the Nephilim, so Crowley took over while Cas protected Kelly, the human who carried Jack. He wanted to raise Jack as his own, away from Lucifer. That’s why I told you to let him take Jack.”

Sam sighed. “Naomi wants him now. She thinks he’ll be good for heaven. He can keep us powered up even if all of the angels left or died. She sent a garrison to the cabin to get him back. It’s heavily warded. They haven’t gotten in yet.”

Dean sat up further. “You need to call them off. Cas has a real thing against angels. He’ll kill them if they piss him off.”

“He hasn’t come out of the cabin yet.”

“Right. He’s probably just coming out of rut.”

“He went into rut? At the same time, you went into heat? You’re…”

“Truemates. Yeah. I know.”

Sam gave a small, surprised huff, the corner of his lips turning up into a little smile. “Of course, out of everything on Earth and in Heaven, you picked a demon.”

“One: he’s a knight of hell. Two: I didn’t pick him.”

“You’re defending him?”

Dean’s cheeks flushed, and he narrowed his eyes. “Shut up.”

“You like him.” Sam teased, poking his older brother in the shoulder.

“Stupid hormones…”

“Not just hormones… Dude, this is crazy, but I’m happy for you.”

Dean sighed. “You know it doesn’t always work between truemates.”

“Usually when they’re idiots. Don’t be an idiot.”

“How am I supposed to mate with a demon?”

Sam shrugged. “Go find out.”

“Bitch.”

“Jerk.” Sam stood up. “Please change clothes and clean your sheets. Let’s go get your demon and his son.”

“You’re seriously not more freaked out about interspecies mating?”

Sam shrugged. “It’s not that uncommon. I’ve seen angels with humans, demons with humans, who’s to say a demon and an angel can’t mate? I don’t think Jack is a threat unless he ends up in the wrong hands. If you mated with Castiel, you’d have a hand in raising him so that he wouldn’t end up too screwed up. I think it’s a pretty good deal.”

Dean gaped for a moment before shaking his head. “Alright. Now get out so I can change.” He shooed Sam away and got out of bed, stretching his arms over his head. His bedroom in their nest was similar to the one in the bunker. Simple beige paint on the walls, a memory foam mattress, a white lamp on the side table, and his closet and bathroom. Dean gave his wings the usual post-heat grooming before putting them away and dressing in his green henley, jeans, and a brown leather jacket. 

Once he was ready, he found Sam waiting in the living room. Their “nest” was just a little house. It was simple and homey, since the only time they were here was during Dean’s heats and Sam’s ruts. 

Dean flew down to the cabin with Sam and found a small garrison of angels with their angel blades in the ground, focusing their grace on the wards to try and break them. Dean put a hand on one of their shoulders. “That’s not going to do any good. Call everyone off. I’ve got it from here.” 

The angel looked up at Dean with a puzzled expression. “You can’t get in.”

“He’ll let me in. Just stop trying to break the wards.” Dean looked at the cabin and walked up to it until he bumped into an invisible barrier. He looked up at the windows and saw one of the curtains peel back. Blue eyes flashed red for a moment before the curtain closed. A few moments later, the front door cracked open. Castiel locked eyes with Dean, staring for a good ten seconds before looking at the other angels. 

“What do you want?” Castiel snarled.

Dean swallowed. “You can let me in. I just want to talk.” He took out his angel blade and tossed it aside, much to the shock of the garrison. 

Castiel looked at Dean warily. “Send the others away. Then I’ll let you in.”

Dean looked at Sam and the garrison. “Go. I’m fine.”

The garrison looked to Sam for confirmation before flying away with him, leaving Dean alone with Castiel, who waited a few seconds before scratching one of the wards on the door. 

Dean took a step forward and didn’t sense the wards keeping him out anymore. He strolled up to the front door and caught a whiff of that delectable scent again. “You’re still in rut?”

Castiel stepped aside, holding the door open for Dean. “What was it you wanted to talk about?”

“Anything. I just...I want to get to know you. I know how stupid that sounds, but I want to know. I’ll tell you about me if you want.”

Castiel closed the door, completed the ward again, and then took a step back. He took a shaky breath. “I don’t think I can keep myself composed around you. I can’t just...talk.” He glanced at the stairs. “Go to your room, Jack. I’ll let you know when you can come down.”

Dean looked over at Jack and couldn’t help but smile a bit when he saw him in a nerdy graphic t-shirt and jeans that looked a little big on him. He gave a small wave and watched Jack disappear upstairs again. 

Castiel stumbled to the wall and held onto it. “God, how do you smell so fucking good?”

Dean blushed. “I mean, I probably just smell good to you because we’re truemates.”

“You know it won’t happen.”

Dean swallowed. “Won’t happen because of what people would think, or because you don’t want it to happen?” 

Castiel paused at that. “We barely know each other.” 

“That’s why I wanted to talk. I want to get to know you, see if we could do this. I-” Something about Castiel’s scent and presence had the truth spilling out of Dean faster than he could contain it. “-I’m so tired of being alone. I want to know if...if I’m capable of something like this.”

Castiel blinked. “I wish I could give you that right now, but I can’t. I can’t-” He drew in a sharp breath. “I’m afraid I’m going to hurt you.”

Dean could smell the distress through the sharp scent of Castiel’s rut, and every instinct screamed for him to go comfort him. “You’re not going to hurt me.” He walked forward slowly and extended a hand. “Just come sit with me. My scent will help calm you down.”

Castiel pressed himself against the wall; his hands balled into fists. “Dean, I don’t think I can control myself right now.”

“That’s okay. I know you won’t hurt me. Did you want this before you went into rut?”

Castiel swallowed before nodding. “I wanted it as soon as I had you pinned outside of the cabin, the first time we met. I nearly scented you right then and there. I almost couldn’t resist.”

Dean took another step closer. “Then what are you waiting for, Alpha ?” 

As soon as the word was out of Dean’s mouth, that was it. All of Castiel’s restraint disappeared, and he had a firm grip on Dean’s wrists as he turned them around, pinning his wrists above his head as he pressed their bodies together and captured Dean’s lips in his own. Despite the lack of restraint, the kiss was soft, sweet, and exploring. It stayed that way for a few minutes, the pair getting used to the other’s taste until Castiel growled lowly and drew Dean’s lower lip between his teeth. His blue eyes were now blazing alpha red, his horns fully visible as well. 

Castiel pulled Dean over to the stairs, chasing his lips and kissing him whenever he got the chance. They nearly tumbled down the stairs three times. Dean tried to lead the way and ended up in a closet, much to Castiel’s amusement. When they finally made it to the bedroom, Castiel’s hands shoved Dean’s jacket off and threw it aside. His fingers danced their way up under his shirt, and with some assistance from Dean, it joined the jacket on the floor. 

Dean unfurled his wings from his back once his shirt was off. The primary feathers were flared out wide while the secondaries puffed up in arousal. His hands flew back to catch himself when he was shoved down to the bed. “Easy, tiger, these are sensitive equipment.” Dean carefully laid himself down.

Castiel gave a wicked grin. “Are they now? Is it true that angel wings are so sensitive that they’re used during mating?” Castiel reached forward and brushed down some of the inner secondary feathers. The whimper from Dean gave him the confirmation he wanted. He dove his fingers into the downy feathers, marveling at the silky soft texture. The moan that escaped Dean was nearly as sweet as his scent. 

Dean spread his wings fully, letting them lay flat against the bed in the act of submission. He had never let anyone touch his wings like this, and God, it felt amazing. Castiel’s fingers were absolutely magical, and his head felt like it was spinning from the pleasure coursing through his veins. “A-ah, Cas…”

Castiel leaned down and scented Dean, a shiver running down his spine. He shed his trench coat, suit jacket, tie, and shirt, tossing the articles of clothing into a pile against the wall. He ran both hands through each of Dean’s wings, kissing away the keens and moans. Every nerve in his body was on fire and screaming for him to knot mate breed mate mate mate , but he wanted to take his time. Dean was too perfect, too beautiful. It was all so strange, but wonderful. Castiel couldn’t remember ever feeling more alive than now. 

The alpha kissed down Dean’s chest, pulling his pants and boxers down as he moved. When he arrived between Dean’s spread legs, he ran his tongue along the inside of Dean’s thigh, finding a drop of slick just between his asscheeks. The taste was sharp and sweet, like the apple pie scent that Dean gave off. It was addicting. Castiel lapped a long stripe over Dean’s hole, growling at just how wet the omega already was for him. God, he was perfect. Every sense was heightened at 110%. Castiel was hyper-aware of Dean’s look, sound, taste, smell, and feeling. 

Dean looked absolutely wrecked, writhing like he was in heat again. The stark red blush on his cheeks made his freckles stand out on his cheeks, nose, and shoulders.

Dean sounded heavenly. His moans changed with every ministration from Castiel. Hard licks and grabs earned him low, guttural moans. Light, teasing touches brought out high-pitched whines and whimpers.

Dean tasted sweet and spicy, like cinnamon and apple.

Dean smelled just as sweet as he tasted. Castiel imagined his teeth sinking into warm, freshly baked apple pie when he inhaled Dean’s scent. He could imagine waking up to this scent every day and following it everywhere he went. Dean smelled like home.

Dean felt secure underneath Castiel’s touches. A being so powerful that he could snap Castiel in half if he got the upper hand, but he chose to be unarmed and vulnerable right now, just for Castiel. His skin was soft with hard, powerful muscle underneath. Castiel loved the softness of his tummy and the broadness of his shoulders. He loved his shining, mighty wings that were spread out on display for him.

Castiel unlocked a new sound from Dean when he slipped a finger in alongside his tongue: begging. 

“Cas...more, please!” Dean groaned, spreading his legs further and arching his back. He never saw himself like this before, with someone he felt comfortable enough around to be this submissive and vulnerable. Around Castiel, he felt like protected, safe. Castiel’s scent surrounded him like a shield, blocking out anything that may hurt him. 

Castiel quickly added a second finger. When Dean cried out, he rubbed his thigh with a low purr. “Easy, love. Let me take care of you.” He rubbed gentle circles on Dean’s hip with his thumb as he slowly slid his fingers in and out. The third finger was a little more difficult, but Dean relaxed easily for him. 

“C-Come on, Cas, I can take it, Just...Just hurry up,” Dean breathed out shakily, staring at Castiel pleadingly.

“I said I was going to take care of you. Soon, sweetheart.”

Dean huffed out a small laugh.

“What’s so funny?”

“Never thought I’d hear a demon call me cutesy pet names and actually mean it.” Dean chuckled to himself.

“Well, get used to it, my love. I won't ever stop.” Castiel kissed Dean deeply again, making sure this one was sweet, slow, and sensual. It seemed to ground Dean and keep him calm while Castiel made sure he was ready. Dean’s hands wandered across Castiel’s back, tracing every inch of skin and feeling the hard lines of lean muscle underneath. 

Castiel pulled back from the kiss, slightly breathless. He gently pulled his fingers free and used the slick to coat his cock. Just the touch from his own hand was enough to send him reeling, so he couldn't imagine what being buried within Dean was going to feel like. “Dean, I don’t think I can go slow right now, and if I keep going, I’m going to knot and claim you.”

Dean took Castiel’s free hand. “You better.” He squeezed the hand before giving a devilish grin and flipping onto his stomach, raising his lower half on his knees and presenting his ass to Castiel. His wings stayed spread and exposed to Castiel.

Castiel’s brain short-circuited for a good five seconds before he was clambering on top of Dean, blanketing himself over the omega’s body as he guided himself to Dean’s hole. As he sank in, it was tighter, hotter, and slicker than he could have ever imagined. Dean was perfect, and Castiel was close to losing his mind. He sank in a little faster than he meant to, but the sweet, pleasure-filled moan from Dean and the hips pushing back against him let him know that the omega was okay and enjoying this. That’s all Castiel wanted, for Dean to enjoy this as much as he was enjoying it, and for him to become his mate.

After a few seconds of holding still, Castiel started rocking his hips. He groaned, fingers digging into Dean’s hips. He looked at Dean’s wings and spotted a better grip for himself. He reached forward and grabbed the top bone of each of Dean’s wings. They made perfect handles for Castiel to use to pull himself in deeper as he thrust hard into Dean. 

Dean felt like his eyes were rolling into the back of his head. He had never felt so full, so complete in his life. The hands on his wings were the last straw to send him into a spiral of moans and cries of pleasure. He arched his back, bouncing back on Castiel’s cock with every thrust. The feeling was mind-blowing; something Dean could never have dreamed of. He never pictured himself feeling safe or secure like this. He always imagined rough hands holding him down and taking. But Castiel didn’t take. He received. He received everything Dean gave him and gave back with such gratitude that Dean couldn't even process. 

Dean nearly screamed when Castiel’s knot started catching on his rim, swelling with every thrust. “Please, please, please…” Dean felt teeth scraping his neck, right where it joined with his shoulder.

Castiel was rocking the bed with the force of his thrusts now, panting heavily against Dean’s neck. His knot finally caught, and he let out a feral snarl as his teeth sank into Dean’s neck. 

Dean gasped and yelled when Castiel’s knot caught, coming so hard he couldn’t see. He was vaguely aware of the bright light filling the room from his eyes and his wings beating against the bed. The sharp pain in his neck was blocked out by the pleasure surging through his veins. 

Castiel had to shield his face from the light, burying his face in Dean’s neck to protect his eyes. He pulled back from the mating bite once he was sure it was safe, humming as he kissed over the mark and nuzzled into Dean’s hair. “Mine.”

Dean panted softly, hand searching the bed until he found Castiel’s hand and held it tightly. “Yours,” he whispered softly in return.

Castiel held Dean’s hand with his left hand and rubbed his back with his right, making sure his omega was relaxed and comfortable. “What now?”

Dean looked back at Castiel. “Let’s talk about logistics when your knot isn’t buried in my ass. Can’t really focus like this.”

“Right, sorry. I didn’t realize it was so distracting.”

Dean raised a brow. “Really? It’s kind of like this.” Dean squeezed rhythmically around Castiel, who gasped and rocked his hips forward. 

“Don’t stop…”

Dean grinned to himself and rocked back against Castiel. The light friction was just enough to feel good without being uncomfortable in his oversensitive state. It didn’t take long before he felt Castiel coming again inside of him. A surge of pride filled his chest, making him grin like an idiot.

Castiel rested his forehead between Dean’s shoulder blades. “Damn…”

Dean laid quietly, nearly drifting off to sleep in the half-hour it took for Castiel’s knot to go down. He laid fully on his stomach once Castiel pulled out and hummed. “I need a shower.”

“I thought we were discussing logistics.”

“Shower, then talk. We smell like mushy mates.”

Castiel rolled his eyes a bit, but he obliged and helped Dean to his feet, showing him to the bathroom attached to his bedroom. The large shower looked heavenly, and Dean rushed to it, tucking his wings away for now. They were too big for both of them to get into the shower. He turned the water on and put his hand in the stream to test the temperature. The pressure was incredible, and the water was heating up fast. 

“I could get used to this.”

Castiel watched Dean and tilted his head. “So you would want to stay here?”

Dean paused. “I guess this is kind of our only option. Someone would accidentally smite you if I took you to heaven. I have zero interest in going to hell. I like earth, and this place is nice. It’s homey.”

Castiel gave a smug grin. “That sounds like logistics to me, and we haven’t even showered.”

“Oh, shut up.” Dean stepped into the shower with a happy sigh. 

“For an angel, you seem to indulge a lot in human intricacies.”

Dean shrugged. “I spend most of my time on earth, so I’ve always tried to blend in.”

Castiel stepped into the shower with Dean. “Why do you stay here? Aren’t angels supposed to stay in Heaven?”

“Usually, yeah. We need grace to keep Heaven working, but my brother and I hunt monsters down here. You seemed to know a little bit about me. You know my full name.”

“I know that you hunt monsters. You and Samuel are very well known, and so were your mother and father. I just don’t understand why you would stay here. Why wouldn’t you hunt, and then go straight back to heaven?”

“Heaven’s kind of lame. It’s all flowery fields and cutesy little nests. Except for the part with souls.”

“I’ve always wondered, what is that like?”

“Well, when someone goes to Heaven, they get their own personal heaven. You relive all of your best memories, over and over, for eternity. Most of the time, mates share heavens. Most of your best memories are together, so you spend eternity together. If you don’t have a mate, then you’re by yourself, but it doesn’t feel alone. The person feels surrounded by family and friends, all the time.”

Castiel listened, watching as Dean washed himself. “That sounds nicer than I imagined.”

Dean nodded a bit. He paused briefly, trying to decide how to phrase his question. “How long has it been since you...um-”

“Became a demon? Sold my soul? Twelve years. In case you were wondering, I was thirty when I died as a human. My daughter was ten.”

Dean nodded a bit. “You still vengeful about all of that?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

Dean sighed. “I think you just had a shitty guardian angel that didn’t explain stuff right or guide you down the right path. What happened to you sucked. I can’t imagine what it must have been like. Selling your soul is never the right option. I’m glad your daughter is alive now, but she has to live the rest of her life without you, and you seem like a really good dad.”

“I wasn’t to her. I was twenty when she was born. My girlfriend at the time, Amelia, died in childbirth. I worked at the gas station and paid a teenager in night school to babysit Claire while I worked. It was easier once she was in school, but I was always too tired to help her with homework. I was devout. I prayed every day for help and got nothing. Whenever I got answers, they were dismissive. I felt like I was ruining her. When she was ten, I was sleeping on the couch after work. I overslept and didn’t get to the bus stop on time to pick her up. She crossed the busy street alone, and someone who was texting at the wheel hit her. I woke up to the sound of people screaming outside my apartment. I prayed for answers and got nothing. No one was there for me. Heaven abandoned me. So I turned to my other option. I was given a deal. I got one week left to live in exchange for her life. I took it. I spent the week reconnecting with my parents. I told them I was dying, so I was honest. They took Claire in the day before I died. I went to a hotel room and waited. I still remember how painful it was. The hellhounds weren’t kind enough to go for the throat.”

Dean took Castiel’s hand and held it tightly. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why your guardian angel didn’t help you more. That isn’t fair to you. Do you mind me asking what their name was?”

“I always got it wrong and called him the name of a Transformer…”

Dean groaned. “Oh, you poor thing. Metatron is the worst. He used to be God’s scribe until he went AWOL, and now he just sits around being an asshole.”

“God went AWOL?” 

“Yeah, it was centuries ago. I wasn’t alive.”

Castiel nodded. “How old are you?”

“Thirty-four.”

Castiel’s brows raised in surprise. “You’re younger than I thought. I feel old now.”

“Eh, you died at thirty, so you’re stuck at that age for the rest of your life. I could let my body age for a while longer, but I thought I looked pretty good at thirty, so I stayed there.” Dean stepped out of the spray, feeling squeaky clean. “Your turn, hot stuff.”

“You aren't nearly as good with pet names as I am.” Castiel teased and stepped under the spray.

Dean rolled his eyes. “Shuddup.”

Once they were both clean, they finally emerged from the bedroom and moved downstairs to the living room to talk more. Dean learned everything he could about his mate. He learned that Castiel was a terrible cook, but tried his best. He wanted to keep bees one day, he used to knit sweaters and scarves for his family when he was a human teenager, and despite what he said about himself, he was an amazing father. 

Dean told Castiel about Sam, how they hunted, growing up with Jo and Ash, and what the bunker was like.

The conversation was interrupted when Dean’s phone started ringing. 

“You have a cell phone?”

“Of course I do. I’m not an animal.” Dean saw it was a call from Sam. “Heya, Sammy.”

“Oh good, you’re not dead. What’s going on in there? I’m getting yelled at by everyone.”

“Right, um...I’ll talk to Naomi when I get the chance. I think I have a solution figured out.”

“How’s it going with Castiel?”

“He’s right here. Say hi.”

Castiel stared at Dean for a moment before looking at the phone being held out in front of him. “Hello.”

Sam chuckled a bit. “Hey. Thanks for not killing my brother.”

Castiel was still in rut, though he was sated, for now, he was still very...alpha. “I wouldn’t dare hurt my mate.”

Sam laughed at that. “Well, that’s good to know. Congrats, Dean. I’m assuming your solution involves co-parenting?”

Dean’s face was bright red. “Y-yeah, that’s it.”

“I’ll try to explain it to Naomi and see what she thinks — already talked to Bobby. He thinks you’re crazy, but he’s happy for you. You’ll need to come to visit Ellen.”

Dean smiled a bit. “Might be easier if she came here. I told Cas earlier; someone might smite him if I brought him up there.”

Sam chuckled. “You may be right. Alright, I’ll let you lovebirds go. See ya, Dean.”

“See ya, Sammy.” Dean hung up and set his phone aside. He heard footsteps on the stairs and looked up to see Jack trying to sneak down. When they made eye contact, Jack started to back away. “It’s alright, buddy. You can come down.”

Castiel looked back at Jack. “Jack, I’m sure you remember Dean.”

“He tried to stab me, and then he did stab me.”

Dean winced a bit. “Oh, right. I did do that, didn’t I? Look, I was wrong about you. Everyone in heaven was convinced that Lucifer would raise you and make you a monster. We’ve been trained to think that a Nephilim will always be evil. I did what I did because I was trying to protect my family, but I did the wrong thing. I’m sorry about that. You have every right not to trust me. But now, Cas is my mate, which makes him part of my family. If you’re his family, that makes you part of my family too, which means I’ll always protect you. I’m going to make sure nothing ever happens to you. I’ll teach you how to use your powers for good, and Castiel can help show us how we can help humanity. He knows where they need help.”

Jack listened warily, but he seemed to understand everything Dean was saying and took it to heart. “So you don’t want to kill me anymore?”

“No, never. Anyone who tries to hurt you, that’s who I’ll want to kill.”

Jack gave a small smile. “Thanks.” He looked at Castiel. “Are we able to go outside yet? I don’t see the angels anymore.”

“Not yet. Dean’s brother still needs to talk to the person in charge and make sure all of the angels know not to hurt you. We’ll stay inside until then. Did you finish reading your book?”

“Not yet. I think I’m going to go try to finish it.”

Castiel smiled softly and nodded. “Sounds great.” He gave a small wave and watched Jack disappear upstairs. Once he was gone, Castiel leaned in to scent Dean, his chest rumbling in a deep purr. 

"Overgrown housecat," Dean chuckled affectionately, "You're awfully cuddly for a demon... sorry, Knight of Hell."

“You’re awfully sinful for an angel.”

“Angels have sex all the time. How do you think we get new ones?”

“You don’t have sex with demons. That seems very sinful.”

Dean rolled his eyes and wrapped his arms around Castiel. “True mates are a creation from heaven. It’s their fault I’m here, so therefore, not a sin.”

Castiel hummed. “Even if it were, I’d still have you. In the brief time we’ve spent together, I’m finding a part of myself that I never knew existed. Thank you for giving me that.”

Dean’s cheeks flushed. “I should be the one saying that to you. But thanks.” Dean curled up to Castiel, finding comfort and safety in the alpha’s arms.


	6. Together

Dean thought there would be an extremely long adjustment period to living on earth, mated to a demon, and co-parenting a Nephilim. Turns out, it’s not so bad. It’s perfect. It took some convincing to get heaven on board, but once Naomi saw how everything was working, she agreed to leave Dean and Castiel alone.

Sam came to visit for the first time since Dean and Castiel mated a few days after Castiel’s rut finally ended. He was shocked to see how peaceful Dean seemed. Dean was someone who always looked like he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders, until now. He walked slower, his shoulders relaxed and gaze soft. There was almost always a smile on his face, too. Sam was convinced he was seeing a different angel, but after a few hours, he realized that this was just Dean’s true colors. He felt safe and secure here, so he felt free to be himself. It was a good look on him. 

Dean enjoyed mated life. Every morning he woke up to the scent of home as he pressed his nose into the neck in front of him. Sometimes there was lazy morning sex full of quiet gasps and mewls. Dean enjoyed cooking, though no one in the cabin needed to eat. He would usually pick a meal out of the day and cook for everyone, just to enjoy the tastes and have fun in the kitchen. 

Jack was learning and growing in his powers every day. Sometimes it scared Dean and Castiel, but they were always there to reel Jack back in and show him how to control what he was doing. Dean took Jack on trips around Washington, taught him to drive the impala, and how to fish. It took Jack a few weeks to fully warm up to Dean, but once he did, the two were just like father and son. 

Sometimes when Dean watched Castiel with Jack, he could see this lost, sad look on Castiel’s face. It took him about a week to figure out what was causing the expression. It took another day to decide how to address it. 

Dean sat down on the couch next to Castiel and took his hand. “I think we should go on a little trip.”

Castiel raised a brow. “Yeah? Where to?”

“Chicago.”

“What’s in Chicago that we have to go see?”

“Claire.” Dean waited for a response. He got a blank stare for a few seconds.

“How did you find her?”

“Asked Sam to go looking. When you have a team of angels ready, you can find anyone. He tracked down her guardian angel and found out where she lives. I think we should go see her.”

Castiel stood up quickly and shook his head. “It’s been twelve years since she’s seen me, and she thinks I’m dead. She can’t see me like...this!” He gestured to himself.

Dean stood up with Castiel. “I don’t know what you were like as a human, but I know that as a demon, you’re not a monster. You’re sweet, caring, and I’d honestly mistake you for human if I couldn’t see that kind of stuff. She’s not going to see you as a demon. She’ll see you as her dad.”

Castiel swallowed. “You think so?”

“I know. What do you say? Road trip?”

Castiel gave a tiny smile. “Alright. Road trip."

Dean packed up the trunk of the impala and grinned at Jack, who caught a toad in his hands and was talking to it.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you have a good home out here. I think the garden right here would be a good spot for you.” Jack gently placed the toad on the soil surrounding the flower garden Castiel had planted.

“Ready to go, Jacky-boy?” Dean called out, closing the trunk. 

Jack looked back over his shoulder and nodded. He ran over to the car. “Where are we going again?”

“Chicago. We’re going to go meet someone.” Dean closed the back door once Jack was inside and got into the driver’s seat. When he looked over at Castiel, he saw him looking wistfully out the window, a nervous frown on his face. Dean reached over and squeezed his hand as the roar of Baby’s engine filled the air.

The drive took what felt like an eternity. Jack spent most of it reading the Harry Potter books, which he was enjoying as of late. When they finally arrived in front of a towering apartment building, the relief was immeasurable for Dean and Jack. Castiel, on the other hand, was tense and staring up at the building. 

Dean put a hand on Castiel’s thigh. “It’s okay. Do you want to go alone?”

Castiel shook his head. “No, you should come with me. I want her to meet you.” He looked over his shoulder. “You too, Jack.”

Jack tilted his head. “She’s your daughter, right?”

“Yes, when I was human. Her name is Claire.”

Dean gently squeezed Castiel’s hand. “Ready?”

Castiel nodded. “Ready.” He got out of the car and opened the door for Jack. Anxiety bubbled up in his chest as he followed Dean to the door and into the elevator. The ding when they reached Claire’s floor was enough to startle him slightly. Dean’s hand holding his own dulled the anxiety. He held his mate’s hand as he searched for apartment 904. When he saw the gold plate on the door which the correct number, he stopped and took a deep breath. He raised a nervous fist and knocked a few times. 

There were a few seconds of silence, then footsteps behind the door. The door slowly opened and a head poked out, long blonde hair partially held back by braids on the side of the girl’s head. Big blue eyes scanned Jack, then Dean, and finally landed on Castiel. The door opened fully and the girl stepped back slightly. “H-How are you here?”

“Claire...you’ve grown so much.”

“Where have you been?”

Castiel opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again and frowned. “I’m so sorry.”

Dean’s eyes moved from Castiel to Claire. “We can explain everything. There’s a good reason you haven’t seen your dad in a long time. I’m Dean, his mate. This is our adopted son, Jack.”

Claire stared at Dean warily. “Yeah, I can guess. He got tired of living in a shithole apartment and left me behind to find a better life.”

Castiel shook his head frantically. “No! I never wanted to leave you. Please, can we explain?”

Claire still seemed wary, but she gave in. “Okay. Don’t touch my stuff.” She opened the door fully and let them into her apartment. The space was sparsely decorated, but the large plaid quilts on the dark leather couch made the place feel very homey. Jack stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, unsure if he should sit since Claire said not to touch anything. 

Claire gestured to the couch and plopped down in the chair across from the couch. Castiel and Dean sat down, gesturing for Jack to sit beside them. 

Claire had her eyes set on Castiel as she lounged in the chair. “So, where have you been?”

Castiel drew in a deep breath and began speaking. He told Claire about the accident, his deal, his time in hell, and what he had become. “I still think about you every day, Claire. I love you so much, and I’m sorry I couldn’t be there.”

Claire had to take a minute to absorb everything. Her eyes were slightly watery and she shifted in her seat. A million questions filled her head, too many to ask right now. All she could do was get up and throw her arms around Castiel’s neck, hugging her dad for the first time in nearly 13 years.

The conversation that followed was long. Castiel had to explain the intricacies of his existence of a demon, and they decided to come up with a visiting schedule so that Castiel could see Claire regularly.

Dean learned that Claire was in the police academy and her mentor just so happened to be an old friend of his, Jodi Mills. She had a girlfriend named Kaia, and a best friend named Alex. Dean had never seen Castiel so proud and happy. The only moment that even competed was a week ago when Jack rode a bike for the first time. 

They ended up spending three days in Chicago. Claire showed them around, took them to all of her favorite restaurants. She got along great with Jack and found him endlessly entertaining. It was hard for her to believe that he was an infant at six months old, but eventually, she seemed to understand and was extremely kind in helping him do things. 

Coming home to Washington was bittersweet, but Dean felt better than ever before. He had his amazing alpha, his awesome son, a stepdaughter, and his family back in heaven. 

Dean’s existence as an angel was no longer defined as a series of problems to be solved. It was an existence that was full of love and family. It was easy to imagine spending the rest of his life with Castiel, and he couldn’t ask for anything more.


End file.
